Is there ANYTHING good about Etherium?

I’m simply uninformed to begin with, which is why I’m even posting this. Not super familiar with any of the logistics of ETH, but any time I’ve had to use the network, it doesn’t seem very fast, and the fees are wicked.

Obviously ETH is one of the earliest coins to hit the market, so I can understand that it’s popular because of that. I’d just like to know if there’s more to it than that, or if it’s simply a mediocre project that just came around at the right time.

I say this all with massive respect to anyone who’s been involved in making etherium what it is, I’d like to add. Simply seeking enlightenment!